Piano



2, 1960 s. R. FACEY ETAL 2,947,210

PIANO Filed Jan. 6, 1958 .EWg-

. INVENTORS $W'A N LE Y R. FAQ.

m m mm Mm w y R l W United States Patent PIANO Stanley R. Facey, 1803Arctic Ave., and Percy W. P. Hancock, 500 /2 Ohio Ave., both of AtlanticCity, NJ.

Filed Jan. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 707,278 1 Claim. (Cl. 84--177) The presentinvention appertains to improvements in pianos and more particularlyrelates to an improved piano of the kind wherein the keyboard is locatedin a position generally coplanar to the top or upper surface of thepiano.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconstruction for a piano of the type in which the keyboard is located ina position so that it can be seen at all times and from any direction,the keyboard being substantially coplanar with the top or upper surfaceof the piano.

It has become increasingly important during recent personal andtelevision appearances of pianists that the finger movement of thepianist be seen from any angle. With conventional pianos it isimpossible for the intricate finger movement of the pianist to be seenwhen the television camera or the audience are facing the front of thepiano. When such an audience is facing the front of the piano, thepianists fingers are obscured from view because of the conventionalkeyboard which is arranged and disposed well below the top of the piano.

It is the primary object and purpose of this invention to provide apiano wherein the keyboard is mounted in a recess provided in a whollyflat, horizontal top portion of the piano, and is disposed coplanar orsubstantially coplanar with the top or upper surface of the piano sothat, in a frontal view, the fingers of the pianist are visible with thestriking surface of the keys being equally Well visible so that one mayappreciate the intricate finger movement of the pianist while listeningto the delicate tones. In many instances, the tonal quality of theinstrument can only be appreciated with the visible appreciation of thedexterity of finger movement of the artist and, unfortunately, suchvisible appreciation is lost when the viewer cannot have a total andcomplete frontal, side and overall view of the finger movement of theartist. Therefore, it is the primary aim and purpose of this inventionto provide a piano wherein the keyboard is disposed so that viewers,irrespective of number, type, that is television or in person, can fromany position see the finger dexterity and movement of the artist and sogain a greater appreciation of the piece that the artist is playing.With conventional pianos, the artists fingers are obscured from view,when one is glancing directly at the artist. With the present invention,the artists fingers are at all times exposed because the keys aredisposed in a position substantially coplanar with the upper surface ortop of the piano, in a recess of said top, so that the striking surfaceof the keys is always visible.'

The foregoing and ancillary objects are attained by this invention, thepreferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following descriptionand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a piano, constructed in accordancewith the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line2--2 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, similar to Figure 2, butshowing one of the keys in a struck position.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, thereference numeral 10 generally designates a piano, which is constructedin accordance with this invention. The piano 10, which is of the uprighttype, includes a frame 9 having a case 11 operatively associatedtherewith having a flat top wall or upper surface 12. A keyboard 14 isarranged along one side of the top wall in an elongated recess 13thereof, and includes conventional type keys 16 which are mounted on akeyboard bottom or base 18 that is disposed below the recess, slightlybelow the top wall or upper surface 12. The base 18 and the uniplanartop 12 are connected to and extend between end members 19. The keys 16are arranged on the keyboard bottom in a conventional manner, that is,being mounted on the conventional fulcrums and being provided with theconventional guides. The keys are arranged so that their strikingsurfaces 20 are disposed substantially coplanar with the top wall orupper surface i2.

The keys are connected by connecting elements 24 to the conventionallift arms 26 which, in turn, connect to a conventional piano action 22.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the striking surfaces 20 of the keys aredisposed slightly above the upper surface or top 12 of the case and arearranged so that they are at all times visible.

As has been pointed out, the primary aim of the present invention is toprovide an improved construction for a piano of the kind in which thekeyboard is disposed, at least, coplanar with the top Wall or uppersurface 12, whereby the striking surfaces of the keys are visible, atall times and from any angle. It is to be particularly noted that thestriking surfaces of the keys are visible from a position directly infront of the frame structure of the piano. This is particularly distinctfrom conventional upright pianos wherein the keyboard is disposed in theconventional well and is completely hidden from view from the front ofthe piano.

As has been pointed out, the finger movement of the pianist isconstantly and completely exposed to view regardless of the viewersangle.

It is to be understood that the arrangement, which is described aboveand illustrated in the drawing, is only to be regarded as an example andmodifications may be made consonant with the objective of the presentinvention which is to arrange the keyboard 14 in a recess 13 of ahorizontal top 12, above a base 18, in an improved construction of thetype wherein the keyboard is visible from any angle, and it is to befurther understood that the essence of the invention resides in the factthat these components are so arranged, while at the same time the keyshave their striking surfaces 20 disposed substantially coplanar with thetop or upper surface 12 of the piano.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed A piano comprisinga frame having a case operatively associated therewith, said case havinga pair of end members and a uniplanar top connected to the tops of saidend members, said top having a recess along one side thereof, a keyboardbase below said recess and operatively connected at its ends to said endmembers, and a keyboard on said base, said keyboard having a top surfacewhich is substantially coplanar with that of said top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

